Inter-ethnic conflict in Broome, Western Australia: The riots of 1907, 1914 and 1920 between Japanese and other Asians

Abstract

The story of the conflict that erupted into street-fighting and riots in Broome in the northwest of Western Australia between workers of Japanese and other Asian backgrounds engaged in the pearl-fishing industry during the lay-up seasons of 1907, 1914 and 1920 highlights the often overlooked reality of multiple ethnicities of Asians engaged in the pearling industry. Reflection on the causes of the riots, the underlying hegemony, and entrenched racism offer valuable lessons in inter-cultural relations in an environment imbued with the fear of difference and the rising importance of Asians in Australia's economic and political environment.